


He Was Wrong

by ChickadeeChickadoo



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Azula is nicer than she could be, Azula wants to stay crown princess, But also kind of wants Zuko home, Cause wouldn't someone have told him?, Crack, Do i care enough to fix it, Everyone Needs A Hug, Gen, I spelled volcano wrong, I'm sure I'll fit her in somehow... eventually, If only Toph came into cannon earlier..., Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, It's a grand mess, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Roku is a good grandpa, So the story has to be corrobarated, Stuff happens, That explodes, Will have a big part of this, With the volcanoe, Zuko doesn't believe Roku is his grandpa, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, Zuko meets his grandpa in the fire temple thingy, apparently not
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-26
Updated: 2020-12-06
Packaged: 2021-03-10 07:55:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27729865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChickadeeChickadoo/pseuds/ChickadeeChickadoo
Summary: Roku gets a chance to talk to Zuko at his temple. Zuko is really confused. The Avatar isn't actually his great-grandfather. That would be ridiculous.Aang loves the idea of extended family- even if it's you know- Zuko.Azula is mildly confused at the influx of mail she's receiving.(On Hiatus for the next 18 months until I get back from my mission)
Relationships: Aang & Zuko (Avatar), Azula & Zuko (Avatar), Iroh & Zuko (Avatar), Roku & Zuko (Avatar), The Gaang & Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 49
Kudos: 384
Collections: Quality Fics





	1. This is number one. Uno. That one.

Zuko knew, technically, that he had one father, two grandfathers, and four great-grandfathers.

He knew his line from his father’s side- Ozai, Azulon and Sozin.

He’d never really considered where the family all went from his mother’s side. There was Ursa and then- he didn’t know. Her family was a gap in his knowledge he’d never been able to fill.

And then he’d chased the Avatar all the way to Roku’s temple, and, at the last moment, managed to duck inside the sanctuary with the Avatar.

Which was when things got… weird.

Zuko had been all ready to attack when the Avatar looked at him- his eyes started glowing- and then it wasn’t a small airbender in front of him.

It was Roku.

The room around them seemed to shift as well, and they weren’t in the sanctuary anymore. There was so much green everywhere- they were in a forest of some sort.

Roku looked at him for half a moment before he moved forward and Zuko was flinching back- but Roku didn’t hurt him. Roku’s arms were around him. Roku was… hugging him.

Zuko stood stiff and still in Roku’s arms, hardly daring to breathe. What was _happening?_

“My grandson.” Roku said, and Zuko felt his throat closing up even more.

Roku was his grandfather? _What?_ That couldn’t be right. Surely, someone would have told him…

And then Roku was stepping away, but his hands were still on Zuko’s shoulders.

Zuko was fairly certain this was all a very strange dream now. The actual Avatar had probably knocked him unconscious. He felt himself relax slightly. He was dreaming. Of course. It was a little odd- but actually rather pleasant as far as dreams went.

And then he noticed Roku’s frowning, furious gaze, intently staring at Zuko’s face. He stiffened again. Even if it was a dream- even if…

And then Roku was crying. His hands tightened slightly on Zuko’s shoulders. “I’m sorry,” he said, voice shaking. “I’m so sorry. If I’d defeated Sozin when I had the chance- this would never have happened.”

Zuko’s mouth opened to say… something- and then he closed it again. He tried several times before he was able to force something out. “Sozin didn’t do that.” Zuko said. “It was my- it wasn’t _Sozin_.”

Roku’s lips twitched in a parody of amusement. “And if I’d defeated Sozin,” he said, “Would this have been allowed to happen? If there had been no war and Iroh was Fire Lord, would this have ever happened to you?”

And… if Iroh had been Fire Lord- no. Zuko couldn’t see Iroh doing this to him- even if- “I deserved it.” He said.

And why was he saying this? Why was he talking to Roku?

 _It’s just a dream._ That was a good point.

Roku looked like he didn’t know what to do with his face. There was fury and sorrow and so much _pain_ -

Roku let out a broken little laugh. “Oh Zuko,” he said, “They really are the best of liars aren’t they? They know just what to say to justify their barbarity. “We are sharing our greatness with the world.” “I need to teach you a lesson.” “I can’t just let this go unpunished- but don’t worry. All you have to do is find the Avatar, and then you can come home.” And when they say it- it almost makes sense.”

Zuko usually didn’t have this many problems yelling at people. It was supposed to be easy. “That’s- that’s not-" _that’s not how it works- Father was right. He’s_ always _right._

Roku was smiling at him, but there was something so _sad_ about it. “And now,” he said, “You want to go home. I do wonder if you’ve considered- you think your father loves you.” He paused.

“Of course he does.” Zuko voice rose. Shouting. That was easy- comfortable. Good. 

“Then what will he do to Aang?” Roku asked.

Zuko blinked.

Roku continued. “He burnt off half of your face- for cowardice- for disobedience- it’s hard to say _why_. What do you think he will do to a twelve-year-old boy- an Avatar- who he doesn’t love and who is the greatest threat to his rule?”

“He won’t kill the Avatar.” Zuko said, “That’d just make a Water Tribe Avatar. Father would keep him alive.”

“There are things worse than death.” Roku said softly.

And… yes. Zuko had thought he’d wanted to die- wanted to just _be_ dead already when he couldn’t sleep for the pain and none of the medicine had been enough- he’d thought it was bad when he’d seen a mirror for the first time he saw his face after the Agni Kai-

Zuko wanted to protest. He wanted to say that his father wouldn’t torture an imprisoned child for no reason.

But… he remembered the Agni Kai. Begging. Tears. Fire. Banishment. _Find the Avatar, and you can come home._ But the Avatar was gone- had been gone for nearly a hundred years.

_Cowardice. Disobedience._

What would his father ask of the Avatar? Was there a way for him to avoid getting hurt? Azula always managed it and Aang was the Avatar- he’d be a prodigy like her.

But Aang was the Avatar. He wouldn’t just- go along with Ozai, would he? Aang wouldn’t know what he was supposed to say.

He wouldn’t know when he was supposed to kneel. Just like Zuko hadn’t. And he’d burn.

 _No. No._ “It doesn’t matter.” Zuko said, making his voice louder as he went. Shouting was comfortable. “It doesn’t matter. I’m so close now.” And he wasn’t shouting anymore- he was begging. He didn’t know what he was begging for. “I can go home,” he said, “I just want to go home.”

Father would do what Father did. Father would be right, just like he always was. It didn’t matter.

“Ozai was wrong.” Roku said, fierce and gentle at the same time. “He was wrong to hurt you- to belittle you. He was wrong when he said that you were lucky to be born. He was wrong to ignore you. He was wrong to burn you. He was wrong to banish you. He was wrong when he gave you an impossible task and sent you off to fail. He was wrong. He _is_ wrong.”

And Zuko almost wanted to believe it. He wanted to believe that he hadn’t deserved it. Everything that’d happened since Ursa had died.

He wanted it to be true. For defending the 41st division to have been the right choice.

But if that was true… then what he was doing now was wrong. Trying to capture the Avatar was wrong. Trying to get home was wrong. The war was wrong.

And if all that was wrong… Zuko felt as though a chasm was opening beneath his feet and he couldn’t see the bottom of it.

Zuko squeezed his eyes shut.

Roku gently gathered Zuko into another hug, and Zuko let him. It was, after all, only a dream.


	2. Important news all around

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aang figures out his family connection.
> 
> Zuko is still freaking out about it.
> 
> Azula gets her first letter.

Aang had been scared when Zuko had jumped into the sanctuary after him- and then Roku was there.

The sensation of someone else controlling his mouth and talking for him was distinctly odd- it was like he wasn’t even there.

And then- he split from Roku and Kyoshi was there.

He couldn’t really remember anything from when Roku was talking with his mouth but after… he heard that part.

Aang wasn’t sure which piece of news was more earthshattering.

  * Sozin’s comet was coming again and Aang really needed to get on his bending practice so he could defeat the Fire Lord before the world burned
  * Zuko was his grandson



They both seemed pretty important.

On the one hand- he was thrilled to have family! Especially since it was just him and Zuko that were related, not him and Ozai. That would’ve been awkward.

On the other hand- it was Zuko. Who’d been chasing them around the world and threatened to burn down one village and actually burned down another village.

Zuko who’d apparently been banished from the Fire Nation and who could only get home if he could capture Aang. Zuko- who’s father had burnt off half of his face.

So… Zuko’s current family didn’t seem to be working out for him.

Aang was great though. He’d be a great grandpa. He was a little young sure- but he had tons of different lives in him! It’d be fine!

Then Roku took control _again_ and proceeded to blow up his own temple.

And by the time Aang was back- he was so _tired_. And Zuko was gone.

…---…

Zuko made it out.

He’d snapped out of the weird dream world and back into the temple to find Roku once again beside him. The man had nodded to him- smiled- and then he’d moved.

The doors flung open wide before him as he swept forward- and Zuko couldn’t help but think that Roku was clearing a path for him- making a safe way for him to go.

Zuko couldn’t take them all- not with the Volcano erupting and Roku in charge and the Water Tribe siblings and Zhao’s men-

Zuko ran.

He hated himself a little bit with every step he took- but if he died here he’d never get home.

So he kept running.

…---…

Iroh was worried. Zuko had been acting- oddly- for days.

He would be pursuing the Avatar with as much fervor as usual, then he would grow… morose. He would shrink in on himself- go to his room- refusing to go out.

And Iroh couldn’t think of any reason _why_. He’d been acting like this since he’d gone to Roku’s temple, so _something_ must have happened there.

Iroh sighed to himself then knocked on Zuko’s door. He wouldn’t force his way in- no matter how much he wanted to.

Iroh was more than surprised when Zuko let him in.

Zuko was pacing- back and forth across his small room, but he paused when Iroh came in.

“Are you alright Nephew?” Iroh asked.

Zuko didn’t answer.

Iroh tried again. “Would you like to talk about what happened at the temple?”

Zuko’s head snapped up, anger flashing in his eyes. “Is it true then?” he demanded.

“Is what true?” Iroh spoke gently, taking a small step closer to Zuko. He was obviously… troubled by whatever happened- the problem was that Iroh had _no idea_ what that was.

“That Roku is my grandfather. I thought it was a dream- but then. I was awake again and he cleared a way for me to get out. He saved me- even though I’m trying to capture a reincarnation of him. He said- things.”

Well. “Roku is your great- grandfather- yes. On your mother’s side.”

Zuko sucked in a deep breath.

He clenched and unclenched his fists, over and over again. “I need to confirm some things he said.” Zuko finally said- and everything from posture to tone stated he would fight for this.

“And what do you need confirmed?” Iroh asked.

Zuko hesitated for a moment. “I need to know how well Roku and Sozin knew each other. If Sozin ever talked to Roku about the war. What he said.”

And Iroh could only think of one account that had that information.

…---…

Azula had not received a letter from Zuko in three years.

Ozai received- and burned- them weekly.

And _now_ she got one.

She tapped a finger to her chin. Something truly extraordinary must have happened for him to be writing her.

She opened the scroll.

_Crown Princess Azula,_

It read. Flattery? That was new.

_I talked to Roku recently and want to confirm a few things he said._

Roku? Roku was very- very dead at this point…

_Would you mind getting something for me? Iroh included instructions on how to get there._

He had indeed. They were very precise.

_If Roku was right you’ll probably be Crown Princess forever. Which you want._

The letter went on for a bit beyond that- but those were the important parts.

She wasn’t sure- yet- if she’d give Sozin’s account to Zuko or not. She was already Crown Princess- she didn’t really need to strengthen her position. But she was curious about Sozin’s account to read it herself.


End file.
